Numb3rs Fic: Shock, Chapter Three/8
Title: Shock
Author: aleo_70
Rating: PG 13+
Genre: Gen
Characters: Don Eppes with cameo by David
Challenge: Clue Challenge #12, June 2010 at hurt_don . Prompts: Who? Don; What? TASER; Where? Police precinct.
Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just borrowed them. Numb3rs and its characters are the property of those that created them. No copyright infringement intended. No financial reward gained. All real places and organisations are used in a fictional sense. Original characters and the storyline are mine however.
Spoilers: (more mention than spoiler) Chinese Box, Rampage, Graphic, Janus List, Trust Metric and Two Daughters.
Warnings: violence
Word count this chapter: 3152
Word count total: ~21,200
Summary: It starts as a bid for freedom from a police precinct but after being taken hostage Don learns things are not quite as they seem.
CHAPTER THREE
Don’s conversation with Mortensen was cut short by the argument that broke out behind them.
“Now we got the feds involved?” Ash started, stalking over to stand over Crowd. “This just keeps getting better.”
“Yeah? Well it’s hardly my fault now is it?”
“You called them in!”
“What else was I supposed to do when we found out who he was?”
“It doesn’t matter who’s fault it is, we’ve still gotta get outta here.” The unnamed man chipped in, interrupting the argument before it could develop.
“Working on it.”
“Doesn’t look much like it to me.” The man snorted as he gestured at Crowd sitting at the desk.
“I don’t care what you think it looks like.”
“Well I don’t care what you think you’re working on. I’m getting out of here.”
“And how are you going to do that Jackson? Shoot your way out?”
“Unless you got a better idea.” Jackson snapped back in complete seriousness. It was exactly what he had in mind. “We line some of these cops up they won’t be able to shoot back.”
“Yeah, I like it.” Ash joined in. He picked a gun up off the desk and shoved it into his belt with a satisfied pat. He nodded at Jackson. “Let’s do it.”
Jackson grinned as he also selected a second weapon. “Just like back in the day, shock and awe.”
“Shock and awe.” Ash repeated before raising his voice to carry to the other two men. “Murray, Malloy, you in?”
Malloy, standing over the hostages looked at each man in turn before a grin split his face. “Hell yeah.”
Murray at the door was a little more hesitant. “I think we should wait.”
“Today’s payday. We don’t have time to wait. We don’t make the meet we lose everything, he’s the only buyer for this stuff.” Jackson argued back, beating Ash to the punch.
“We wait.” Crowd insisted.
“You’re the one who said we’d push. Waiting is not pushing.” Ash pointed out before turning back to the last man. “You want out of here Malloy, you’re with us.”
The situation, already plenty bad enough was deteriorating rapidly with the argument amongst the men and the plan that was being developed. Exchanging a quick glance with Mortensen and seeing the expressions on the other hostages’ faces Don knew he had to do something. As the newly favoured bargaining chip his words should have some sway. Don started to push himself up but before he could speak Crowd reacted to what he perceived as a threat from his periphery, quickly standing and turning. In the same motion Crowd’s finger squeezed the trigger and off balance Don fell back as the TASER again cycled. The frustration almost overwhelmed the pain as there was nothing he could do but ride it out.
“Stay down.” Crowd ordered as the cycle ended.
Don stared upwards into the barrel of the gun Crowd was now aiming at him, the TASER hanging loose again in his other hand. If he moved again it wouldn’t be a TASER ride that he’d have to contend with. He raised his bound hands showing he wouldn’t move, having gained the man’s attention he’d achieved what he’d needed. Quickly glancing away he saw the other offenders start to move to put their plan into action, a plan briefly interrupted by his actions as all weapons had swung his way. Now Jackson and Ash were bending over a hostage each, reaching out to pull them up. The other two men were moving in.
“Stop them.” Don said urgently. He could apply only one meaning to Jackson’s ‘shock and awe’ statement. The men were going to force their way out shooting, with the deliberate intent of taking out as many officers as possible. “They do this it will be a blood-bath.”
“Shut up.” Crowd jerked his gun in warning as he turned away. “The feebee’s right.”
Dragging a detective up with an arm around his neck Ash turned. “Since when do we listen to feds?”
“Since he’s talking sense. When his people call we’re going to get out of here. He’s going to make them listen to us, right Feebee?”
Seeing little option Don agreed. “I’ll make them listen.”
“I don’t think they care much for him, or these cops.” Jackson said. “They were supposed to call five minutes ago. They missed the deadline. Time we showed them we mean business.”
“This is not the way,” Don insisted, not willing to leave this negotiation in Crowd’s hands. Things were moving way too fast and needed to be slowed down. “Let me call them, I’ll tell them how serious you are. No one needs to die, that includes you.”
“We’re not the ones who’re gonna die, Fed.” Jackson responded. The man he was holding started to twist in an effort to free himself but stopped half stunned when the butt of Jackson’s gun slammed into his skull. “Just some dumb cops.”
Desperate now Don climbed to his feet and ignored the barrel of the gun that hovered inches from his nose in response. Crowd had no time to do more to control the agent given the circumstances. Don focused his attention on the man behind the gun. “Stop them.”
“You’re either with us or not, Crowdy.” Ash warned.
“I got us this far. I can get us out.” Crowd’s attention didn’t waver from the agent he was holding at gunpoint mere inches away.
“I don’t think he’s with us.” Jackson commented.
“I don’t think he is either.” Ash agreed.
As both men turned significant glances at each other and then at Crowd Don realised that the coup was about won. It seemed that Ash was taking his leadership back. The man’s next words confirmed it.
“Four million splits better four ways.”
“Five ways.” Crowd interrupted, trying to regain control. He turned away from the agent, risking an attack but the threat posed by his own men was more urgent. “This is my deal, I set this up. You would get nothing if it wasn’t for me.”
“They were our contacts, without us you wouldn’t have been able to sell them. This is as much our deal as yours.”
“Exactly. You need me and I need you.” Crowd seized on the opening. “We got these cops and we got a feebee. We’re going to get out of this. It’s just going to take a little time.”
Ash looked up at the clock on the wall, not even half an hour had passed since they’d seized control. “Time we don’t have.”
“We got time.” Crowd quickly shoved the TASER into his belt then reached out his now spare hand and grabbed a handful of Don’s shirt, dragging him around and pushing him out in front of him. “This is a supervisor, not some junior agent, he’ll make the feebee’s listen.”
“I don’t care if he’s the Director, I want my money and I’m not going to jail. I got mine,” Ash said giving his hostage a slight shake in emphasis. He glanced around at each of the other men also holding hostages tightly. The last two hostages, Mortensen and one of the uniforms remained still and watchful on the floor, just as helpless as their companions. “We’ve all got one and you’ve got the fed. Time to go.”
“No, we have to wait. We make him make the call, they get us our cars and we’ll get out of here safely.” Now Crowd was sounding desperate.
Another significant glance was shared between Ash and Jackson. Then a nod as a decision was reached. Ash turned back. “Four ways it is.”
Don found himself being yanked to one side as Ash’s gun came up. The bullet missed, passing through the space he’d occupied with Crowd an instant earlier. At almost the same time Jackson also fired, his round coming even closer as Crowd continued to drag Don with him as he moved. Now Crowd took cover, pulling Don down after him to sprawl on the floor behind a desk. Don rolled, scrambling to get himself upright just in time to see Crowd snap off a shot back at his former partners. With each of the four men holding an officer as a shield Don couldn’t let the fire-fight continue any further. Ash had as good as won the leadership struggle and bad as that was it was done. An out and out fight between him and Crowd was not going to help anything, was in fact quite likely to result in hostages being killed. He would have preferred that the negotiations went via Crowd but given what had happened they were just going to have to work with Ash. That meant bringing this struggle to a quick conclusion if they were to have any chance at surviving this situation, incredibly slim as that may be. Flinging his body weight sideways he knocked Crowd over, the man’s next round firing harmlessly into the ceiling.
“Give it up!” Don ordered as he pounced, getting both hands on the gun and trying to wrest it away. His possession of the weapon would be short-lived but he had to stop Crowd. “You’re done.”
Crowd didn’t answer, he got one hand free and landed a solid blow that caught the side of Don’s face taking in his cheekbone and nose. The pain was instantaneous and intense, Don’s eyes tearing up and leaving him blind even as the lack of bone crunching indicated his nose wasn’t broken. Distracted, the next blow to the side of his head came without warning and he lost his already weakened grip on the gun as he fell to one side, ears ringing. Before he could do anything else he heard more shots ring out and then a heavy pounding. Ignoring the new noise in favour of blinking his eyes clear he sought out Crowd. His opponent was bracing himself over a desktop, firing back at the other men.
As Don started to rise again the pounding turned into a splintering sound and Crowd ducked back down. Don understood what was happening, at the sound of the shots the officers outside couldn’t afford to wait any longer, they were breaching. They would be ill-prepared given the short time frame and wouldn’t have a plan, their fear for the safety of their fellow officers forcing their hand. The situation really couldn’t get much worse and once again finding the barrel of a gun hovering inches from his face there wasn’t anything he could do about it. He looked into Crowd’s eyes for a hint of what was going to happen next and saw only determination.
Don had to try anyway. “It’s over. They’re coming in.”
“It’s not over. Get up.”
Before he could follow the order Crowd grabbed him by his shirt and hauled him up, giving him a solid shove. Getting his feet under him and finding his balance he turned his head to look back even as Crowd shoved him further away from the main doors. Stumbling painfully against a desk he had to turn away and watch where he was going but the quick glance had been enough to see what was going on. The door was in splinters and officers with riot shields were making their way into the dayroom. They were taking fire, having now drawn the attention of the other four offenders but were unable to fire back given the living shields between them and their targets. Despite that the officers were continuing with their breach, pushing their way in and forcing the offenders back.
“Move!” Crowd ordered, giving the agent another shove.
They were at the door at the back of the room and Don managed another glance back before he was shoved through. The officers forcing their way into the room were concentrating their efforts on the other men; it seemed they’d not seen Crowd and his efforts to escape with one of the hostages. Forced into the corridor beyond the door there was no way he could draw their attention. Stumbling at another shove he was then pulled up short by a hand at his collar before he was pushed sideways into a room. Shaking himself free he sidestepped, turned and stopped, trying to break the momentum that had enabled Crowd to force him this far. Crowd had other ideas and Don found himself slammed face first against a locker.
“Shift it.”
Confused Don turned. “What?”
Crowd shoved him back hard and then reached out for the top of the locker beside the agent, pulling it violently away from the wall, jumping aside as it crashed to the floor. “The next one, shift it.”
Taking half step back and glancing into the gap Don understood. It was the hidden door that Mortensen had told him about. Somehow, impossibly, Crowd knew about this exit and intended using it. He glanced back to find the man impatiently moving the next locker away. The locker he’d been shoved against was the last one that needed moving. Crowd’s gun came up.
“Feebee, move it!”
Getting his fingers between the locker and the door he pulled, getting the metal cabinet out of the way. It suddenly disappeared from his grip, Crowd shoving it away once it was basically clear. As it crashed to the floor he saw the gun jerk towards the door. With still no options open to him, the breaching officers unaware of this drama and too far away in any event, Don grabbed at the handle and turned it, pulling at the door. Nothing happened. Thinking it must be locked he looked at the latch and saw clear space. The door wasn’t locked, just sticking in the frame through lack of use.
“It’s locked.” Don tried then had to duck quickly away as best he could in the confined space.
Crowd had reacted instantly, shifting his aim and firing several rounds at the jamb, not at the lock itself which only worked in the movies. Had the door really been locked the area around the tongue was now pulverised and splintered and wouldn’t hold against a determined pull. “Get it open.”
Setting himself Don firmed his grip and yanked. The door gave abruptly, almost dumping him onto the floor. Barely recovering he was already being pushed through to find himself on a landing above at least two flights of stairs leading down. Catching at the railing he managed to avoid pitching headlong down the concrete stairs. A hard point shoved at his shoulder forcing him to make his way down, continuing past the next landing and down until they ended up at the bottom. Being kept almost constantly off balance by the man’s desperate actions and need to keep moving it was next to impossible for Don to offer resistance. He had to somehow find a way to break the man’s momentum again. Reaching the bottom door he pulled it open hoping that this new room would offer him something he could use against Crowd.
It wasn’t a room, it was an entrance to the garage at the rear of the building. He didn’t seen the ramp that lead down to the next level, nor did he see the exit for right in front of him was a uniformed officer just as surprised to see them as they were to see him. He was young, Don saw that much before he was propelled forwards into the man and they both fell in a tangle. Desperately he tried to roll aside to give the officer room to act but Crowd was already moving in, swinging his gun in a vicious arc to strike the man on the side of his head. The young officer fell back and didn’t move. Shaking off the hand that pulled at his shoulder Don crouched over the young man and felt for a pulse. Finding the steady beat he let out a long breath in relief.
At a movement beside him Don turned to see Crowd reaching for the young man’s utility belt, snagging not the holstered pistol but the set of car keys hanging from a hook. The small metal tag would identify the vehicle it belonged to. Crowd gave that a glance before tossing them aside in disgust.
“Marked.” Crowd looked quickly around as if getting his bearings, his gun maintaining its unwavering aim at the agent.
For his part Don was calculating the odds of reaching the unconscious uniform’s weapon before Crowd could stop him. The odds weren’t good but before he could make the attempt Crowd turned back. Flicking his gaze downwards he saw where the agent had been looking.
“I’ll take that.” The other man commented as he unsnapped the holster and pulled free the gun, shoving it into the back of his belt. “Now, up. That way.”
Once again Don found himself being manhandled, pulled up then shoved in the direction of a flat metal box bolted to a wall. As he was pushed against the concrete wall he recognised it as a key box.
“Stay. Don’t move.” Crowd made his order clear by pressing his gun against the agent’s back as he got the box open.
With the weapon resting against his back Crowd would feel any move Don might attempt even with his attention on sorting through the keys hanging inside the box. Forced to wait he saw that this was the break in the momentum he’d been hoping for. Now he just had to somehow create a delay and hopefully another officer would come into the garage. The appearance of another officer would greatly interfere with Crowd’s bid for freedom, which at this point was looking virtually inevitable. The speed at which the whole situation had developed had left this avenue of escape practically clear for the criminal under the assumption that the now unconscious officer had been set as a guard on an unused exit. Based on the young man’s surprise Don had to realistically believe the officer’s presence was in fact pure coincidence, more a case of wrong place, wrong time than purpose.
Crowd finally selected a set of keys to his liking. He stepped back. “Brown unmarked over there. Move it.”
Don turned but held his ground. “No.”
Crowd’s temper flared. “Cooperate, Feebee.”
“Why the hell should I?” Don demanded. He was not going to make the man’s escape any easier if he could help it. Eyeing the weapon as it came up he knew that when it came down to the crunch he would have little choice but to do as he was told. Until then however he would make life difficult for Crowd as possible, forcing him work for every inch of ground he made in his escape. It was a fine line, the gun a constant threat but there was room to play and he was going to use it.
“I’m a cop, working deep cover.”
Next chapter - here
Author: aleo_70
Rating: PG 13+
Genre: Gen
Characters: Don Eppes with cameo by David
Challenge: Clue Challenge #12, June 2010 at hurt_don . Prompts: Who? Don; What? TASER; Where? Police precinct.
Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just borrowed them. Numb3rs and its characters are the property of those that created them. No copyright infringement intended. No financial reward gained. All real places and organisations are used in a fictional sense. Original characters and the storyline are mine however.
Spoilers: (more mention than spoiler) Chinese Box, Rampage, Graphic, Janus List, Trust Metric and Two Daughters.
Warnings: violence
Word count this chapter: 3152
Word count total: ~21,200
Summary: It starts as a bid for freedom from a police precinct but after being taken hostage Don learns things are not quite as they seem.
CHAPTER THREE
Don’s conversation with Mortensen was cut short by the argument that broke out behind them.
“Now we got the feds involved?” Ash started, stalking over to stand over Crowd. “This just keeps getting better.”
“Yeah? Well it’s hardly my fault now is it?”
“You called them in!”
“What else was I supposed to do when we found out who he was?”
“It doesn’t matter who’s fault it is, we’ve still gotta get outta here.” The unnamed man chipped in, interrupting the argument before it could develop.
“Working on it.”
“Doesn’t look much like it to me.” The man snorted as he gestured at Crowd sitting at the desk.
“I don’t care what you think it looks like.”
“Well I don’t care what you think you’re working on. I’m getting out of here.”
“And how are you going to do that Jackson? Shoot your way out?”
“Unless you got a better idea.” Jackson snapped back in complete seriousness. It was exactly what he had in mind. “We line some of these cops up they won’t be able to shoot back.”
“Yeah, I like it.” Ash joined in. He picked a gun up off the desk and shoved it into his belt with a satisfied pat. He nodded at Jackson. “Let’s do it.”
Jackson grinned as he also selected a second weapon. “Just like back in the day, shock and awe.”
“Shock and awe.” Ash repeated before raising his voice to carry to the other two men. “Murray, Malloy, you in?”
Malloy, standing over the hostages looked at each man in turn before a grin split his face. “Hell yeah.”
Murray at the door was a little more hesitant. “I think we should wait.”
“Today’s payday. We don’t have time to wait. We don’t make the meet we lose everything, he’s the only buyer for this stuff.” Jackson argued back, beating Ash to the punch.
“We wait.” Crowd insisted.
“You’re the one who said we’d push. Waiting is not pushing.” Ash pointed out before turning back to the last man. “You want out of here Malloy, you’re with us.”
The situation, already plenty bad enough was deteriorating rapidly with the argument amongst the men and the plan that was being developed. Exchanging a quick glance with Mortensen and seeing the expressions on the other hostages’ faces Don knew he had to do something. As the newly favoured bargaining chip his words should have some sway. Don started to push himself up but before he could speak Crowd reacted to what he perceived as a threat from his periphery, quickly standing and turning. In the same motion Crowd’s finger squeezed the trigger and off balance Don fell back as the TASER again cycled. The frustration almost overwhelmed the pain as there was nothing he could do but ride it out.
“Stay down.” Crowd ordered as the cycle ended.
Don stared upwards into the barrel of the gun Crowd was now aiming at him, the TASER hanging loose again in his other hand. If he moved again it wouldn’t be a TASER ride that he’d have to contend with. He raised his bound hands showing he wouldn’t move, having gained the man’s attention he’d achieved what he’d needed. Quickly glancing away he saw the other offenders start to move to put their plan into action, a plan briefly interrupted by his actions as all weapons had swung his way. Now Jackson and Ash were bending over a hostage each, reaching out to pull them up. The other two men were moving in.
“Stop them.” Don said urgently. He could apply only one meaning to Jackson’s ‘shock and awe’ statement. The men were going to force their way out shooting, with the deliberate intent of taking out as many officers as possible. “They do this it will be a blood-bath.”
“Shut up.” Crowd jerked his gun in warning as he turned away. “The feebee’s right.”
Dragging a detective up with an arm around his neck Ash turned. “Since when do we listen to feds?”
“Since he’s talking sense. When his people call we’re going to get out of here. He’s going to make them listen to us, right Feebee?”
Seeing little option Don agreed. “I’ll make them listen.”
“I don’t think they care much for him, or these cops.” Jackson said. “They were supposed to call five minutes ago. They missed the deadline. Time we showed them we mean business.”
“This is not the way,” Don insisted, not willing to leave this negotiation in Crowd’s hands. Things were moving way too fast and needed to be slowed down. “Let me call them, I’ll tell them how serious you are. No one needs to die, that includes you.”
“We’re not the ones who’re gonna die, Fed.” Jackson responded. The man he was holding started to twist in an effort to free himself but stopped half stunned when the butt of Jackson’s gun slammed into his skull. “Just some dumb cops.”
Desperate now Don climbed to his feet and ignored the barrel of the gun that hovered inches from his nose in response. Crowd had no time to do more to control the agent given the circumstances. Don focused his attention on the man behind the gun. “Stop them.”
“You’re either with us or not, Crowdy.” Ash warned.
“I got us this far. I can get us out.” Crowd’s attention didn’t waver from the agent he was holding at gunpoint mere inches away.
“I don’t think he’s with us.” Jackson commented.
“I don’t think he is either.” Ash agreed.
As both men turned significant glances at each other and then at Crowd Don realised that the coup was about won. It seemed that Ash was taking his leadership back. The man’s next words confirmed it.
“Four million splits better four ways.”
“Five ways.” Crowd interrupted, trying to regain control. He turned away from the agent, risking an attack but the threat posed by his own men was more urgent. “This is my deal, I set this up. You would get nothing if it wasn’t for me.”
“They were our contacts, without us you wouldn’t have been able to sell them. This is as much our deal as yours.”
“Exactly. You need me and I need you.” Crowd seized on the opening. “We got these cops and we got a feebee. We’re going to get out of this. It’s just going to take a little time.”
Ash looked up at the clock on the wall, not even half an hour had passed since they’d seized control. “Time we don’t have.”
“We got time.” Crowd quickly shoved the TASER into his belt then reached out his now spare hand and grabbed a handful of Don’s shirt, dragging him around and pushing him out in front of him. “This is a supervisor, not some junior agent, he’ll make the feebee’s listen.”
“I don’t care if he’s the Director, I want my money and I’m not going to jail. I got mine,” Ash said giving his hostage a slight shake in emphasis. He glanced around at each of the other men also holding hostages tightly. The last two hostages, Mortensen and one of the uniforms remained still and watchful on the floor, just as helpless as their companions. “We’ve all got one and you’ve got the fed. Time to go.”
“No, we have to wait. We make him make the call, they get us our cars and we’ll get out of here safely.” Now Crowd was sounding desperate.
Another significant glance was shared between Ash and Jackson. Then a nod as a decision was reached. Ash turned back. “Four ways it is.”
Don found himself being yanked to one side as Ash’s gun came up. The bullet missed, passing through the space he’d occupied with Crowd an instant earlier. At almost the same time Jackson also fired, his round coming even closer as Crowd continued to drag Don with him as he moved. Now Crowd took cover, pulling Don down after him to sprawl on the floor behind a desk. Don rolled, scrambling to get himself upright just in time to see Crowd snap off a shot back at his former partners. With each of the four men holding an officer as a shield Don couldn’t let the fire-fight continue any further. Ash had as good as won the leadership struggle and bad as that was it was done. An out and out fight between him and Crowd was not going to help anything, was in fact quite likely to result in hostages being killed. He would have preferred that the negotiations went via Crowd but given what had happened they were just going to have to work with Ash. That meant bringing this struggle to a quick conclusion if they were to have any chance at surviving this situation, incredibly slim as that may be. Flinging his body weight sideways he knocked Crowd over, the man’s next round firing harmlessly into the ceiling.
“Give it up!” Don ordered as he pounced, getting both hands on the gun and trying to wrest it away. His possession of the weapon would be short-lived but he had to stop Crowd. “You’re done.”
Crowd didn’t answer, he got one hand free and landed a solid blow that caught the side of Don’s face taking in his cheekbone and nose. The pain was instantaneous and intense, Don’s eyes tearing up and leaving him blind even as the lack of bone crunching indicated his nose wasn’t broken. Distracted, the next blow to the side of his head came without warning and he lost his already weakened grip on the gun as he fell to one side, ears ringing. Before he could do anything else he heard more shots ring out and then a heavy pounding. Ignoring the new noise in favour of blinking his eyes clear he sought out Crowd. His opponent was bracing himself over a desktop, firing back at the other men.
As Don started to rise again the pounding turned into a splintering sound and Crowd ducked back down. Don understood what was happening, at the sound of the shots the officers outside couldn’t afford to wait any longer, they were breaching. They would be ill-prepared given the short time frame and wouldn’t have a plan, their fear for the safety of their fellow officers forcing their hand. The situation really couldn’t get much worse and once again finding the barrel of a gun hovering inches from his face there wasn’t anything he could do about it. He looked into Crowd’s eyes for a hint of what was going to happen next and saw only determination.
Don had to try anyway. “It’s over. They’re coming in.”
“It’s not over. Get up.”
Before he could follow the order Crowd grabbed him by his shirt and hauled him up, giving him a solid shove. Getting his feet under him and finding his balance he turned his head to look back even as Crowd shoved him further away from the main doors. Stumbling painfully against a desk he had to turn away and watch where he was going but the quick glance had been enough to see what was going on. The door was in splinters and officers with riot shields were making their way into the dayroom. They were taking fire, having now drawn the attention of the other four offenders but were unable to fire back given the living shields between them and their targets. Despite that the officers were continuing with their breach, pushing their way in and forcing the offenders back.
“Move!” Crowd ordered, giving the agent another shove.
They were at the door at the back of the room and Don managed another glance back before he was shoved through. The officers forcing their way into the room were concentrating their efforts on the other men; it seemed they’d not seen Crowd and his efforts to escape with one of the hostages. Forced into the corridor beyond the door there was no way he could draw their attention. Stumbling at another shove he was then pulled up short by a hand at his collar before he was pushed sideways into a room. Shaking himself free he sidestepped, turned and stopped, trying to break the momentum that had enabled Crowd to force him this far. Crowd had other ideas and Don found himself slammed face first against a locker.
“Shift it.”
Confused Don turned. “What?”
Crowd shoved him back hard and then reached out for the top of the locker beside the agent, pulling it violently away from the wall, jumping aside as it crashed to the floor. “The next one, shift it.”
Taking half step back and glancing into the gap Don understood. It was the hidden door that Mortensen had told him about. Somehow, impossibly, Crowd knew about this exit and intended using it. He glanced back to find the man impatiently moving the next locker away. The locker he’d been shoved against was the last one that needed moving. Crowd’s gun came up.
“Feebee, move it!”
Getting his fingers between the locker and the door he pulled, getting the metal cabinet out of the way. It suddenly disappeared from his grip, Crowd shoving it away once it was basically clear. As it crashed to the floor he saw the gun jerk towards the door. With still no options open to him, the breaching officers unaware of this drama and too far away in any event, Don grabbed at the handle and turned it, pulling at the door. Nothing happened. Thinking it must be locked he looked at the latch and saw clear space. The door wasn’t locked, just sticking in the frame through lack of use.
“It’s locked.” Don tried then had to duck quickly away as best he could in the confined space.
Crowd had reacted instantly, shifting his aim and firing several rounds at the jamb, not at the lock itself which only worked in the movies. Had the door really been locked the area around the tongue was now pulverised and splintered and wouldn’t hold against a determined pull. “Get it open.”
Setting himself Don firmed his grip and yanked. The door gave abruptly, almost dumping him onto the floor. Barely recovering he was already being pushed through to find himself on a landing above at least two flights of stairs leading down. Catching at the railing he managed to avoid pitching headlong down the concrete stairs. A hard point shoved at his shoulder forcing him to make his way down, continuing past the next landing and down until they ended up at the bottom. Being kept almost constantly off balance by the man’s desperate actions and need to keep moving it was next to impossible for Don to offer resistance. He had to somehow find a way to break the man’s momentum again. Reaching the bottom door he pulled it open hoping that this new room would offer him something he could use against Crowd.
It wasn’t a room, it was an entrance to the garage at the rear of the building. He didn’t seen the ramp that lead down to the next level, nor did he see the exit for right in front of him was a uniformed officer just as surprised to see them as they were to see him. He was young, Don saw that much before he was propelled forwards into the man and they both fell in a tangle. Desperately he tried to roll aside to give the officer room to act but Crowd was already moving in, swinging his gun in a vicious arc to strike the man on the side of his head. The young officer fell back and didn’t move. Shaking off the hand that pulled at his shoulder Don crouched over the young man and felt for a pulse. Finding the steady beat he let out a long breath in relief.
At a movement beside him Don turned to see Crowd reaching for the young man’s utility belt, snagging not the holstered pistol but the set of car keys hanging from a hook. The small metal tag would identify the vehicle it belonged to. Crowd gave that a glance before tossing them aside in disgust.
“Marked.” Crowd looked quickly around as if getting his bearings, his gun maintaining its unwavering aim at the agent.
For his part Don was calculating the odds of reaching the unconscious uniform’s weapon before Crowd could stop him. The odds weren’t good but before he could make the attempt Crowd turned back. Flicking his gaze downwards he saw where the agent had been looking.
“I’ll take that.” The other man commented as he unsnapped the holster and pulled free the gun, shoving it into the back of his belt. “Now, up. That way.”
Once again Don found himself being manhandled, pulled up then shoved in the direction of a flat metal box bolted to a wall. As he was pushed against the concrete wall he recognised it as a key box.
“Stay. Don’t move.” Crowd made his order clear by pressing his gun against the agent’s back as he got the box open.
With the weapon resting against his back Crowd would feel any move Don might attempt even with his attention on sorting through the keys hanging inside the box. Forced to wait he saw that this was the break in the momentum he’d been hoping for. Now he just had to somehow create a delay and hopefully another officer would come into the garage. The appearance of another officer would greatly interfere with Crowd’s bid for freedom, which at this point was looking virtually inevitable. The speed at which the whole situation had developed had left this avenue of escape practically clear for the criminal under the assumption that the now unconscious officer had been set as a guard on an unused exit. Based on the young man’s surprise Don had to realistically believe the officer’s presence was in fact pure coincidence, more a case of wrong place, wrong time than purpose.
Crowd finally selected a set of keys to his liking. He stepped back. “Brown unmarked over there. Move it.”
Don turned but held his ground. “No.”
Crowd’s temper flared. “Cooperate, Feebee.”
“Why the hell should I?” Don demanded. He was not going to make the man’s escape any easier if he could help it. Eyeing the weapon as it came up he knew that when it came down to the crunch he would have little choice but to do as he was told. Until then however he would make life difficult for Crowd as possible, forcing him work for every inch of ground he made in his escape. It was a fine line, the gun a constant threat but there was room to play and he was going to use it.
“I’m a cop, working deep cover.”
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